


Just Breathe, Alyssa

by Adohug



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: Alyssa's the one out, F/F, Role Reversal AU, au!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-10-12 04:29:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20558252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adohug/pseuds/Adohug
Summary: “Hey, how about this? There’s this small town in Indiana that cancelled their prom because this girl wanted to bring her girlfriend.”“Ooh, that’s perfect! It’s low-risk, high-publicity,andgay! What’s this girl’s name?”“Alyssa Greene.”Or: This thought came to me while I was dying runningOr or: Role reversal au





	Just Breathe, Alyssa

**Author's Note:**

> There are silly moments, there are sad moments, mostly I gave Mrs. Greene a redemption arc

“Hey, how about this? There’s this small town in Indiana that cancelled their prom because this girl wanted to bring her girlfriend.” 

“Ooh, that’s perfect! It’s low-risk, high-publicity, _and_ gay! What’s this girl’s name?”

“Alyssa Greene.”

\-----------------------------------

Alyssa winces as she’s slammed into her locker, rolling her shoulder as the verbal jeers come.

“Freak.”

She takes a breath before opening her locker, intent on just putting her bag away and moving on with her day, but she has to take a step back as the stuffed bear swings out. She hears snickers from around her.

“Wow, really clever, guys. Breaking and entering, defamation of character, bullying… what _can’t_ you do?” She says it mostly to the world at large, but someone responds.

“Do you like it, Alyssa? I made it just for you.” Alyssa turns to face Kaylee and Shelby. Kaylee continues, “consider it my way of saying ‘thank you’ for getting our prom cancelled.” She has a witty retort ready to smack that smug look off of their faces, but someone from behind them replies before she can.

“Come on guys, just ignore her and move on.”

Shelby turns, revealing to Alyssa her savior in all her blonde-pixie-cut glory. “What, Emma, do we have something better to do?”

Emma replies shortly. “Yes: get to class.” With that, she brushes past the two cheerleaders and moves down the hallway, signalling the other girls to give Alyssa one last sniff of condescension before moving on.

Alyssa sighs, pulling the bear down before grabbing her stuff for the day. As she throws the bear into the nearest trashcan, she can’t help but mutter to herself. “Note to self: don’t be gay in Indiana.”

\-----------------------------------

Mr. Hawkins looks about as done as done can be with the PTA. He puts a hand out to Emma, claiming “You’re on the student council; what do the students want?”

Emma replies quickly, “we want a prom.”

“Thank you.” Then, Hawkins turns to the other side of the gym to call on Alyssa, the reason this assembly was called. “And Alyssa, what do you want?”

“I just want to go to a school dance, like anyone else.”

Hawkins gives her a sympathetic look. “Exactly; Alyssa, and every student at this school, deserves the same chance: to go to prom.”

Mr. Nolan is suddenly at the podium, his wife not far behind. “But she broke the rules! She tried to being a date of the same sex, something _clearly_ not allowed!”

Alyssa takes this chance to look at her mother, who’s very obviously _not_ looking at her. She hangs her head, ready to let the argument wash over her as she zones out for the next half hour. 

The Nolans are frightening; they always get what they want. They got that stupid rule added to the prom rules, they banned crop tops, they even got her father run out of town (_That’s not what actually happened_, a small voice whispers from the back of her head. _Shut up_, she replies). She appreciates what Mr. Hawkins is trying to do, but she knows the PTA won’t budge; she’s already accepted that she’ll be home, alone, on--

The slamming of the gym doors jolts her from her train of thought, and she stares in confusion and disbelief as a group of middle-aged citydwellers storm into the room with signs saying-- oh, shit--

“Where’s the lesbian?” One of them asks, and Alyssa for some reason puts her hand up. Before she can process what’s happening, she’s stammering out her name for these strangers and jumping out of the way for another one that came in late, and oh god is she _singing_\--

Only three times in her song-monologue does the latecomer mention Alyssa, and every time, her brain clears up a little more. They heard about her? They came to help her? Who _are_ they?

She sees the stampede for the door happening and she wants to partake in the mass exodus, but the tall guy grabbed her arm again and is talking about a photo or something, and she finally stammers out her first question. “Why are you here?”

The man holding her stops, scoffing as if affronted. “We’re here to get you a prom, Alyssa!”

Alyssa furrows her brow. “I was accepting the fact that I wasn’t going to prom; you guys didn’t have to come here.”  
“Of course we did!” A blonde woman interjects, pulling out her phone. “Everyone should get to dance! Now, hold still--”

She throws up her hands, breaking the hold the man had on her. “No, just leave!” She makes a dash for the gym door, throwing it open and stumbling into the hallway.

The blonde woman follows her, phone still out. “Come on, we need a photo for the rally tomorrow!” Alyssa throws her hands up to cover her face, uncaring about what she looks like. “Perfect, thank you!” 

As the blonde lady leaves, Alyssa notices Hawkins looking dejectedly after the other lady, and she runs over to him. “Mr. Hawkins, what is happening?”

“I don’t know, Alyssa, but I’m going to find out.” He takes off down the hallway, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

The quiet doesn’t last long, as she sees Emma speedwalking down the hallway towards her. Alyssa on reflex looks around to make sure no one’s around before speaking. “Oh, my god.”

“Yeah, this is crazy. Who the hell are those people?” Emma keeps walking past her, stopping at her locker.

Alyssa follows her over. “I don’t know, I didn’t ask for them.”

“I can’t stay, I only told my parents I needed a book,” Emma grabs the aforementioned book and slams her locker shut, already moving again towards the parking lot. 

“You know I didn’t want for this to happen, right?” Emma stops, but doesn’t respond. “I don’t want to become a symbol for these guys’ cause, or whatever. I just want to dance with you, Emma.”

Alyssa’s scared that she’ll just keep talking, but Emma turns around with a soft smile and walks back towards her. “I don’t need a big dance, in a room of people I don’t really know, Lys.”

Alyssa takes a step closer, holding out a hand for Emma to take. She’s smiling, too. “I don’t care what everyone says. I just want to hold you, and dance the night away.”

Emma takes her hand, intertwining their fingers. “All we need is a song.”

Footsteps down the hallway grow louder, and a voice calls out “Emma?” Alyssa’s heart jerks, and she immediately disconnects herself from Emma and moves away, listening as Emma’s father comes to see what’s taking her so long. She doesn’t need to turn around to feel the dirty look aimed her way, and doesn’t dare look up until the footsteps are long gone.

\-----------------------------------

“Hey Mom, I’m home!” Alyssa calls out as she walks in the door, knowing her mother was home; her car’s in the driveway.

“Alyssa! I’m in the kitchen!” She drops her bag by the stairs before going to her mother, busy over a pot of water. “I’m making spaghetti, will you grab the pasta bowl?”

“Yeah, I got it.” She goes over to where it’s stored. “How was your showing?”

Mrs. Greene sighs. “I don’t think my clients liked it; I was just so distracted.”

“By what?” Alyssa puts the bowl down next to the stove; she knows her mother’s not easily distracted.

“By the pr--” She stops herself.

Alyssa’s heart skips a beat. “The prom? Is it back on?”

“Well, there I go, ruining the surprise, but yes, the prom is back on. Mr. Hawkins is coming over to tell you, but…”

Alyssa squeals, tackling her mom with a hug. “Oh my _God_! You guys really did it? Thank you!”

Mrs. Greene laughs a little bit. “Yes, we did. It’ll be at the gym Saturday night.”

Alyssa pulls back. “Seriously, Mom, thank you. I just want to dance.”

She doesn’t see the look that flashes across her mother’s face as her thoughts start racing. She has to tell Emma, she has to figure out what she’s going to wear…

The doorbell rings, jolting her to the present. “That must be Mr. Hawkins, could you go get the door?” Her mother turns back to dinner, leaving Alyssa to let her principal into her house.

\-----------------------------------

“Alyssa, you did it!” She’s barely behind the bleachers before she’s tackled by her girlfriend. “You actually got our prom back!”

“It was mostly pressure from the state…”

Emma pulls back, eyes bright with her contacts in. “Still, this is because of you. I’ve seen, like, six promposals today.”

Alyssa giggles. “So?”

“So what?”

“Will you go to prom with me?”

Emma laughs. “I already said yes.”

Alyssa rolls her eyes. “Yeah, to the one that was cancelled. I need to ask again! We’re about to go to prom together, in front of everyone.”

Emma’s face turns worried, a million thoughts running through them. “Oh, god, my parents…” She shakes herself. “They’ll be in public! They can’t make a big fuss about it.” With new resolve, Emma steps closer to Alyssa. “So, I will go to prom with you, Alyssa Greene.”

The two of them stay under the bleachers a little longer before leaving, neither of them noticing the onlookers.

\-----------------------------------

“So, Mr. Glickman, what made you choose this lifestyle?” 

Alyssa winces, praying that her mother will keep the interrogation short so that Barry can come in and help her get ready.

The man frowns, before realizing what she means. “Well, it wasn’t a choice, ma’am; I’ve always been gay.”

Mrs. Greene flinches at the word, but Barry keeps talking. “After my mom found out, she refused to accept me. I moved away for college, and… I haven’t talked to her in thirty years.”

Alyssa looks up, surprised. Parents can just… do that? Sure, her mom refuses to broach the subject of her sexuality and shuts down the conversation every time Alyssa tries to start it, but at least she still has a house.

Her mom seems surprised by his story, too, and takes a step back. “Oh. Well… come in. Let’s start the fashion show.”

\-----------------------------------

Between her mom’s hair skills and Barry’s (reluctantly admitted to be superior) skill with a sewing machine, Alyssa is ushered into her mother’s car by Barry.

“Wait, Mom, why can’t you come?” Alyssa stops before climbing in, looking at her as she stands in the doorway.

She blinks before looking away. “I have work to do that couldn’t be done at the office; I have to do it now, since I helped you get ready.”

Alyssa blinks; she never knew her mom would prioritize work over such a big moment in her life. “Oh. Okay. Uhm, see you when I get back?”

Mrs. Greene looks up at that. “Yes, don’t forget your curfew is--”

“--Is eleven, I know. I love you!” With that, Alyssa climbs into the car, ready for Barry to drive her to the gym.

\-----------------------------------

“You knew.”

“Alyssa, I--”

“You _planned_ this. You know what you did?”

“The Nolans, they weren’t going to let _any_ prom happen--”

“So you decided to make me a separate one? With duct tape decorations and a stale bag of chips?”

“I wanted the best for you!”

“And humiliation is exactly what I’ve always wanted, thanks Mom!”

“Alyssa--”

“No, don’t you _fucking_ touch me! This, this-- _need_ to control every little thing in my life is _exactly_ why you and Dad fought, and now he’s _dead_!”

\-----------------------------------

“Angie, you don’t have to be here.” Alyssa spoons some more ice cream into her mouth, wishing the blonde woman would just leave.

“Kid, you may not realize it, but you need me.” Angie sits down on the edge of her bed. “I can tell you want to put your story out there, but you lack the confidence, the courage, the… the zazz!”

“Zazz?” She pauses. “What’s that?”

Angie goes into a long-winded story about something about this Fossey guy, but Alyssa can only think of how her mother’s avoiding her. She knows she made a mistake, bringing up Dad, but she was hurting, and wanted her mom to hurt, too. She zones back in when Angie starts dancing around the room, supposedly showing off what zazz is.

“Come on, try it!” Angie pulls Alyssa up, doing weird movements with her body.

“Angie, I’m a cheerleader, not a stroke patient; what are you doing with my hands?”

“I’m trying to give you some zazz!”

“Well, it’s making me feel weird.”

Angie stops. “Well, that’s the opposite of what zazz should do. It’s style plus confidence; it comes from within.” She does a few more moves. “_Do_ the moves, then give it some zazz.”

Alyssa tries again, half-assing it. “Ta-da?”

Angie sighs. “You’re not listening. Here, close your eyes.”

She does.

“Now, think about the Nolans.”

A surge of anger whips through her.

“Think about that fake prom!”

A low growl rips through her throat.

“Now, think of finally doing something about it!”

With that phrase, the barest idea of a plan begins to form, and when Alyssa opens her eyes she finds her body doing one of the dance moves Angie did earlier.

“Ooh, I’m seeing your zazz!”

The blonde leads her through a small dance routine (“C’mon, cheerleader, show me what you got!”) before stopping, sitting back down on her bed. “So, how’re you feeling?”

Alyssa does a mental recap, flitting back to her plan. “A lot better. Going on live tv might be a step too far, though.”

Angie waves her off. “We’ll get there. Any idea of what you want to do?”

“Yeah.”

\-----------------------------------

Mrs. Greene is seated across from Barry, folding her napkin. “Thank you for meeting me here; Alyssa and I aren’t exactly on speaking terms right now.”

“I’m just glad this place has cutlery. Now, why did you invite me here?” He picks up the menu, starting to look through it.

“Your mother… what was she like?”

Barry pauses, putting down his menu. “She was all I had. I never knew my father, and I had no siblings, so it was me and her. We loved each other, so much, and I thought that that love was enough to overcome anything ‘wrong’ with me, because back then? Being gay _was_ wrong. But that’s the thing; it’s not anymore.” He looks down at his lap. “I hope that my mother, whether she’s still back home, or moved thousands of miles away, has realized that.”

Mrs. Greene looks up, tears in her eyes. “How do I not lose her?”

\-----------------------------------

“Hey.” Emma is standing behind the bleachers already when Alyssa shows up. “I didn’t know if you were going to come. I was just--”

“What do you want?” She’s still hurt that she didn’t come. That it was ‘bad enough’ Kaylee and Shelby found out.

Emma looks hurt by her bluntness (_Good_, most of her says. _Comfort her_, a smaller part replies). “Oh. Okay. I guess I wanted to say that I’m sorry.”

She’s usually more confident than this. “You guess?” Emma winces. Maybe her tone _is_ too harsh?

“I mean, I’m sorry.” 

“Then why didn’t you come?” Alyssa’s cold front breaks, along with her voice. “I _needed_ you, and you didn’t come.”

“Lys, my parents were watching my every move, I couldn’t just sneak out! I was across town, that’s not exactly walking distance!”

“Then why didn’t you tell them? That was our _plan_, to tell them that you’re gay, that we’re in love, that--”

“I couldn’t! You know what my parents are like!”

Alyssa stops. She’s right, she _does_ know. Controlling, demanding, high expectations always being raised… She doesn’t even like cheerleading, but she’s forced to at least be team manager. “I’m gonna go public, tell my story. Will you do it with me?”

Emma looks down, fidgeting with her glasses; guess she couldn’t be bothered to put in her contacts. “I want to, Lys--”

“Yeah, well wanting isn’t enough anymore.” In that moment, Alyssa makes a decision. She takes a step back. “I believe that you have feelings for me, that this wasn’t just some experiment, but I’m tired; I can’t do this anymore.”

“Do what?” 

“_This_. This hiding, this paranoia, this fear that never seems to leave us.”

Emma stares, confused, eyes shining with unshed tears. “Wait, is this-- are you--”

“Yeah, I am.”

As those words hit her, she looks so small. “Oh.”

There’s silence that stretches for one moment, two. About to cry herself, Alyssa breaks it. “Bye.”

\-----------------------------------

She did not expect Dee Dee to lunge at her like a rabid dog, but she is very glad Trent and Sheldon are strong enough to push her out of the room. Angie follows with an apologetic look. 

That leaves Alyssa alone with Barry, who defeatedly tells her that he wishes there was a prom for her at the end of this. 

“Call me optimistic, but I still prefer to see the good in people.” She stares at the stain-covered motel wall and keeps talking. “So, here’s what’s going to happen; I’m going to put my story out there, people will see it, and cry, and there will be a kickass prom waiting at the end, open to everyone. And when it happens, I want you to be my date.”

Barry looks surprised. “Me? But what about--”

“We broke up. Just… say yes. Please.”

“... Yes. I’ll go to prom with you.”

\-----------------------------------

“Mother.”

“Alyssa.”

The two stare, unmoving, until Mrs. Greene breaks it. “I wanted to apologize for what I did.”

“Great.” Alyssa moves towards the stairs, but stops when her mom keeps talking.

“It was a terrible thing to do. Alyssa, I don’t want to lose you over a trivial thing like who you love, or will love.” She moves closer. “I don’t… fully understand how you’re feeling. I may never fully understand, but I _refuse_ to do what so many mothers do and lose my child. I love you, Alyssa, no matter who you love, and I am _so_ sorry for doing such an unspeakable thing because I was too blind to see how-- how _happy_ you were with her.”

In that moment, when her mom finally acknowledged it, when she said “her,” Alyssa knew she could forgive her. She turns, eyes burning with unshed tears, to find her mother in the same position. “I said some shitty things, too. I’m sorry.”

She lets herself get pulled into a hug, and she buries her face into her mother’s shoulder. The two stand there crying, knowing they have a long road to travel until it’s okay, but glad that they’ve started down it.

\-----------------------------------

“Howdy, Interwebs! My name is Alyssa Greene, I am seventeen years old, and I’m a lesbian. If you guys heard about the fake prom scandal in Indiana, well, that’s me. This is really all one big messy situation, but I needed to get my thoughts out there. So… here they are. I’m sorry if I mess up, I haven’t played in a year or so.

“_Some hearts can conform…_”

\-----------------------------------

Alyssa can only watch as the Nolans fiercely attempt to shut down the prom, even after they lose support of the students.

Mrs. Nolan just won’t shut up. “Children are impressionable! You marched in here and put these absurd ideas of--”

“Mom, Dad, I need you to stop talking and just listen for a minute.”

“Emma, what are you--”

“Just _listen!_” Her yell rings out in the silent room. “People don’t turn gay. They’re born who they are, and this world is made better by those with the courage to live their truths. People like her.” Emma makes eye contact with Alyssa for the first time since they broke up. “So, here goes. _I love you, Alyssa Greene!_”

“Holy shit.”

“Emma Nolan.” Mr. Nolan’s deep voice breaks through whatever little bubble the two girls had, and Emma’s grip on her hand tightens. “This is not you. Now get back over here so we can talk about this at home.”

It’s deadly quiet. Then, “No.”

Mrs. Nolan tries. “Emma, I’m sure if you just listened to what we have to say--”

“I said no. I tried to tell you two earlier, but you only ever wanted me to be the daughter you expected instead of the one you raised.”

“Well, that won’t be a problem anymore.” Her father turns towards the door. “I no longer have a daughter.”

\-----------------------------------

“Roger.” Mrs. Greene stands on the front porch of the Nolan’s house.

“Veronica. Why are you here?” Mr. Nolan is holding the open door, frowning.

“I’m here to call you out on your shit.”

“What, Emma? She deserves it for choosing to sin.”

“Roger, it is neither a sin nor a choice on her part.”

“Whatever it is, it isn’t my problem anymore. Good night.” He begins to close the door, but she steps inside.

“Did you ever love her?” Veronica demands.

“What?”

“Only someone with no love in his heart can throw away one of God’s gifts on the pretense of who she loves.”

Roger scoffs. “Oh, is that why you keep your own aberration around? To cherish the gift He gave you?”

“I _love_ my daughter, unlike you soulless demons.” With that, she turns around and re-opens the front door. “Greg, come on in!”

As the teen comes in with an armful of empty boxes, Roger sputters in anger. “What is happening?”

“If you truly no longer have a daughter, I reasoned that you wouldn’t want any memories of her. So, I recruited her cousin to collect what is hers and… relocate it, so it won’t remind you of how terrible a father you were.”

“You can’t do that!”

“What? By doing this, we’re using the limited resources we have left; what were you going to do, burn them?”

\-----------------------------------

“Okay! I just got a text, all of my stuff is now at Gran’s.” Emma slips her phone into her pocket, readjusting her tie. “Now I can enjoy prom with my girlfriend.”

Alyssa smiles, linking her arms around Emma’s neck. “That’s all I’ve wanted.”

“_All_ you wanted? It seemed like you wanted a lot more than just a dance back in the band closet.” Emma smirks, hands finding a place on Alyssa’s hips as they sway to the slow song.

“I’m happy, sue me.” She steps closer, needing to feel more of Emma. “So, how does it feel to be out?”

“Freeing, mostly.”

Alyssa leans up and gives Emma a long, slow kiss. “The best part is that I can do _that_ whenever I want now.”

“Please do.”

Alyssa smiles again. It’s not a perfect ending, no; her mom still has a long way to go, and Emma now lives with her grandmother, but in this moment, this instant, life worked out perfectly.

**Author's Note:**

> so?


End file.
